Member entitlements while on Victorian Taskforce deployment;
Safety and equipment on appliances
Members who are part of the first contingent of the Victorian Taskforce were dispatched this morning. On behalf of whole membership, I wish them well.
Member entitlements while on Victorian Taskforce deployment
Members joining the Taskforce are advised that they shall:
receive payment for forward and return kilometres from their station/location to the nominated staging point in Sydney. This shall be paid at the rate of $1.13 per kilometre.
receive payment at their ordinary rate of pay for the forward journey from the time they report for briefing and dispatch at the staging point to the time they check in at their accommodation, and for return hours from the conclusion of their last shift until dismissed in Sydney, except where an 8-hour stand off is required following the final shift before travelling, in which case accommodation will be provided and travel time will be paid from the time of check out.
be provided with reasonable accommodation. Members should contact the Union immediately if they believe they have been provided with substandard accommodation.
be guaranteed a minimum eight (8) hour break between arrival at their accommodation before their first shift and between the conclusion of any shift worked and the commencement of their next shift.
receive payment at Award rates for all time covered by their ordinary roster, whether worked or not, with hours worked outside their roster attracting overtime rates.
receive an Incidentals Allowance of $18.20 per day as well as three Meal Allowances per day (being Breakfast of $24.90, Lunch of $28.00, and Dinner of $47.75); and
operate with safe and effective minimum crewing of SO+3 at all times, which may include a Station Officer supplied by the CFA, who will operate as OIC.
Members who have any further inquiries about entitlements while on deployment should also contact the FBEU office. This is especially true for any member with health and safety or workers compensation issues, to ensure entitlements under NSW arrangements are properly honoured.
Safety and equipment on appliances
10 appliances, consisting of 8 Class 3 urban pumpers and 2 aerial pumpers, have been withdrawn from service in the GSA, and dispatched for use by the Taskforce. SEVs from Greenacre have been rolled out to replace them, some of which appear to be insufficiently equipped. The Union’s concern with this is both at the level of member safety, and with reduced effectiveness of firefighting operations. While the Union will take up matters of effectiveness with the Department in due course, our immediate concern is for the safety of our members.
The Union’s standing advice regarding unsafe or inadequately stowed appliances at any time is simple: if a majority of members on shift at a particular station believe their appliance and its equipment are not of a sufficient standard to ensure firefighter safety, then the station should remain offline until the situation is rectified. The particulars of what is missing and/or broken should be urgently notified to your Inspector, the necessary orders should be placed to allow restowing and/or repair, and the Union should be advised of the situation.
